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IBM Proprinter Emulation
47
Character Size
The FormsPro, FormsMaster and PrintMaster series printers are capable of supporting 10, 12, 13.3, 15,
16.7, 17.14, and 20 cpi, but most emulations support only a subset of these. IBM Proprinter emulation
supports 10, 12, 17.14, and 20 cpi via software, but does not support 13.3, 15 or 16.7 cpi. Every
emulation supports 10 cpi, and we consider this to be the default character pitch. When you use the control
panel to change the “Characters/Inch” value in the forms menu, you are actually changing the default
character pitch. When the printer is turned on (or reset), it will use this character pitch. You can even use a
pitch that is not supported by your emulation, such as 13.3 cpi with IBM Proprinter emulation. You can
override this pitch selection via software, by sending an escape sequence. This selects a user specified non-
default pitch. For example, in IBM Proprinter emulation, sending ESC : will select 12 cpi. Sending DC2 will
re-select 10 cpi, and thus re-select the default character pitch that was selected in the form setup.
Via software escape sequences, you can select any character pitch supported by the emulation you are using.
All will print as expected, unless you select 10 cpi -- because 10 cpi really selects the default character pitch
from setup. If you really want 10 cpi, then you must set “Characters/Inch” to “10” in the forms menu.
Likewise, if you want to use the default pitch from setup, you must not override it. Either send no character
pitch sequences to the printer, or make sure you re-select 10 cpi via software.
When you select different forms, the default character pitch from setup is selected along with the form. But
you will not see this default pitch if it has already been overridden via software.
Select 10 CPI DC2
Selects 10 cpi by cancelling 12 cpi and condensed mode. If “Characters/Inch” was not set to “10” in the
forms menu, the specified default character pitch will be selected instead of 10 cpi.
Control code: DC2
Hexadecimal: 12
Select 12 CPI ESC :
Selects 12 cpi (elite mode). Condensed mode is unaffected. The resulting character spacing will be 12 cpi,
or if condensed mode is also selected, 20 cpi.
Escape Sequence: ESC :
Hexadecimal: 1B 3A
Select Condensed Mode SI
(or) ESC SI
Selects condensed mode. The resulting character spacing will be 17.14 cpi if 10 cpi was selected, or 20 cpi
if 12 cpi was selected.
Control code: SI
Hexadecimal: 0F
Escape Sequence: ESC SI
Hexadecimal: 1B 0F